First Minister Nicola Sturgeon would have to double income tax to get Scotland's finances in a EU friendly state

They said it would be suicidal for the SNP to break off from the rest of the UK.

And it claimed drastic tax hikes or spending cuts would be needed to bring the deficit down to the 3 per cent of GDP required to join the European Union.

Hiking the basic rate of income tax from 20p to 39p would raise around £10 billion.

Scotland’s First Minister could instead double the rate of VAT or slash health spending by 80 per cent, or cut all spending on police, transport and agriculture.

Related stories

WHITEHALL 'SNOB' AXE

Labour would scrap qualification requirements for civil service jobs

RUDDY MESS

Amber Rudd promises to fix Universal Credit and make it 'better'

DANNY WHO?

David Cameron 'hadn't heard of Danny Dyer before TV star called him a t***t'

BENEFITS BUNGLE

Teen girl with mad cow disease could lose her home under Universal Credit

WASHOUT

Boris Johnson's water cannons which he was never allowed to use are sold for scrap

unread letter day

Tory MPs are LYING about sending letters calling for Theresa May to go

'DESPERATE'

Mum forced into prostitution to make £30 after 8-week Universal Credit delay

NUKE BASE SCARES

Over 500 safety scares recorded at home of UK's Trident nuclear deterrent

HUNT'S NAZ TALKS

Jeremy Hunt to slam Iran for using British citizens as diplomatic hostages

AXE FOR LORDS

MPs demand the House of Lords scythes 200 peers as a matter of urgency

John O’Connell, chief exec of the Taxpayers Alliance said: “Politicians have been on a spending binge for years in Scotland, not only crippling taxpayers with a massive debt, but immorally passing it on to our children.

“As the SNP gather for their conference, politicians should be finding ways to repair public finances and put an end to this spending spree.”